Alkyl phenol and method of manufacturing same



2,161.8:- I ALKYL manor. AND METHOD or MANU- racruamc slum Lucas P. KyridesrWebcter Groves, Mo assignor to Monsanto Chemical Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application'lllay 28, 1934, sci-n1 No. 721.881

9 Claims. (c1. zoo-s24) This invention relates to the manufacture of alkyl phenols, includingthe.substitutionproducts thereof such as the alkyl chlorphenols an the i e/and it relates more specifically to the manufacture of such alkyl phenols wherein an oleflne or an alkyl halide embodying a secondary or tertiary carbon atom is employed.

Variousmethods have been proposed heretofore for the alkylation of phenols and their sub; stitution products, including chlorphenols, etc.

One such method involves the reaction of a pheno] with an oleilne in a mixture of acetic and sulphuric acids'or sulphuric acid alone. Another method involves the reaction of aphenol with an alcohol in the. presence of acatalyst such as zincchloride, aluminum chloride and the like.- Ithas also been proposed to manufacture alkyl phenols by causing phenol to react in the presence of zinc chloride, aluminum chloride, ferric go chloride and the like, with a tertiary chloride, such as tertiary butyl chloride, tertiary amyl chloride and the like.-

These methods share certain disadvantages. Thus, the catalyst must'be removed from the re- 5 action mixture. In' some instances, and particularly when sulphuric acid is employed, by-product formation of a sulfonic acid genus is inevitable. Moreover, the alcohol or oleflne is decomposed or polymerized in part and consequenthr lost. I-lnally, isomeric ethers are obtained which interfere with the purification of the prodnot as well'as impair the yield of the desired material. I The present invention has as one of its obiects the obviation of the foregoing disadvantages in that it avoids the necessity of catalytic substances such ,as'have been proposed heretofore, and enables one to obtain directly and in 800d .yi'elds thedesired alk'yl phenol without ap- 40 preciable or objectionable aromatic by product formation. Y The invention likewise contemplates a class of .alkyl phenols characterized: by-theirinordinate bactericidal power; suitability for the manufactime of oil -soluble resins of the phenolaldehyde type; and. inthe form of their sulfonic acid salts their value as detergents. l

I have' found that tertiary alkyi halides react directly and inthe absence of catalysts with phehole to form; alkyl phenols with substantially no aromatic lay-product formation. I have likewise found; that this reaction proceeds even'at' ordinary or moderately elevated temperatures, hydrogen halide being evolved. I have likewise found thatinthe absence of catalysts the proformed. In this manner it is-possible to portion of ortho and para phenol isomers may be varied .tolan extent and in 'a manner not known heretofore. Thus. at comparatively low temperatures the formation of the 'ortho isomer is appreciable whereas at progressively increasing temperatures the amount of ortho isomer produced is reduced correspondingly.

Ezample 1.800 grams of phenol are agitated vigorously while maintaining a temperature of approximately. 125 C. over a period of 10 hours, during which 225 grams of tertiary butyl chloride are introduced, preferably through a porous alundum thimble which is in the hot phenol. Afterall of the tertiary butyl chloride has thus been added the mixture is agitated for an additional short time at f'approximately the same or slightly elevated temperatures. Hydrogen chloride is permitted to esc'apethrough a. reflux condenser. If desired, the hydrogen chloride thus recovered maybe absorbed in tertiary butyl alcohol whereby-the corresponding chloride is we the hydrogen chloride repeatedly.

The phenolic reaction mixture is fractionated at 20 mm. pressure; the first cut consisting largely of phenol, and boils at approximately C. After the temperature reaches C. or slightly higher, approximately 48' grams of fraction boiling up to. 118 C. is recovered ch consists of ortho tertiary butyl phenol containing an appreciable amount of the para isomer. Airaction is then obtained, amounting to 307 grams, boiling at120 (Is-126 0., which has a crystallizing point of ,97 C. and consists of almost pure ra terti ary butyl phenol. The melting point f the pure product is given in the literature'as '99 C. The

even as low as 40 C. Coriversely, by eilectingthe reaction at a higher temperature less ortho isomer is obtained as evidenced by the following example: I

Example 2.250 -grams of tertiary butyl chloride are added over a period of ten hours to 800 grams of phenol which is agitated vigorously at- C.-170 C. The procedure is in other re- -spectssimilar to-that set forth in'Example 1.

Upon fractionating the mixture one obtains apmam-a berlm in "1and2.

1o maybemade convenimtlybyano'ctylene with concentrated hydrochloric add whereupon HCl adds directly to the octyle'ne to form the octyl chloride. The diloride is isolated conveniently by dehydrating over CaCla and distilling in vacuo. 'As an example of theioregoing, 800 cc. oi concentrated hydrochloric'acid, which hasbeensaturated withhydrogenchloride ata temperature of 62-5 C. is agitated for -12 hours with 280 grams of di-isobutylene. The

non-aqueouslayer which consists largely of the octyl chloride. This non-aqueous layer is washed with water and then dilute. bicarbonate of soda solution after which it is dried over calcium chloride and fractionated in vacuo. 300 grams of didsobutyl chloride, boiling at 3'l'C.-39 C. at -18 mm.

-Eeamplc 4.-,45gramsofch1orresorcinolareagitated at 100 C. to'which 25. grams of diisobutyl chloride are added-at intervab over a period oi one hour. Hydrogen chloride is evolved. The ruulting product is washed'with .water whereupon an imoluble oilis obtained. Theoiliractionisextractedwithisopropil-ether as and the etherinturn is washed four times with iractionatedand'the alhl chlor fraction, boiling at 100" 0.410 C. at 12 mm., is recovered separately.

" period or 5-hour; whileagitating the mixture at85 C :-00f C. 'lheresnltingmixtureisasitated while,maintaining the reaction temperaiorlotolihouraaiterwhichit .tionated. H

actionmixture. The next boils at 185" 0.405 C.

of a thick oil, is

- brdniik.

andthelihatoicrmthe'.

or'polyalkyl derivaflvu Alternatively. lithe halogenated form the lmloxenatethe'alhlphenolasiswellunderstoodby thoseskilledintheart.'

n It a pomible to form them-substituted distributionoithebuty onemolofthe aqueous iayer is then-separated from the upper item water. The resulting-ether solution issubstitute therefore-the n sum phenols halide with one by m 2 m of the mm moi of the phenolorbyreacting vmono substituted alkyl phenoL- Inthiswayone can prepare di or poly substituted alkyl phenok inwhich the severalalkyl groups diiieriromeach alkyl halide with one moi of other. by appropriate selection of the alkyl halide employed in each step. r I Example 7. 605 grams of paratertiary butyl phenol (crystaliising point 93'. (3.44 C.) are maintained at 150' Cxwhile adding 300 grams 0! tertiary butyl chloride, in Example 1, over. aperiod c! 14 hours. The increase in weight is 107 grams which corresponds to 1'14 grams of reacted chloride. \Some decomposition of the tertiary butyl chloride into butylene and hydrogen chloride occurs which, upon condensation, combine again to form the tertiary al kyl chlo-. ride. The reaction mixture is fractionated whereupon there is collected 343 grams of the mono tertiary butyl phenol boiling at'l20, C.-130

. C. at 18 mm. The undistilled fraction is then distilled andupon careful redistillation there is obtained 264 grams of a liquid which isipresum- .ably di-tertiary butyl phenol, boiling constantly" at 132 C. at 16 mm. The material is a thick standing.

I have also found that oleflnes embodying the iollowing carbon linkage: a

"thatmaybehydrolyzed readily withwaterto form a tertiary alcohol, 'or,'stated otherwlse, the linkageisoneembodyingatertiarycarbonatom havinsall oleflne linkage. and I designate thit linkagein the present specification asa ter-" tiary oleiinic linkage."

Example 8. -727 grams oi dry or substantially oil which crystallizes byseedingor after long dryphenollsuchasisobtainedbyfractionaldistiliation, are minted at 0.45" c. with dry hydrogen chloride. For this purpose very'littie hydmsen chloride is n. tly

grams oi di-isobutyiene, which may be obtaine conveniently by condensing 2 'm'ols ot isobutyleneandwhichmayberepresentedstructurally as follows:

CH8\ 7 on,

. CH: CH:

a a I /CH.CHQCH2 -CH! CH;

depending uponthe isomericiorin, whiiemaintainingtheprevioustemperatureand faaitatedcondition. Fromtime'totimeasmall amoimtoihydmgenehlorideisintroducedinto the-reaction mixture to assure saturation. After about 18 hours the productis tractitans-ted. 1'10 grams of di-isolmtyl phenol, hoil-- ingv at 'appror imately- 157 .C. at 18,mm.-, is obtained, practically no residue or by-P dqcts. being-formed. I: a: at 825 c, which favorably with that recorded in the literature, 83 C. (J. A.C. S. 1923, page 2574) and obtained by other methods. On crystallization from petroleum ether a product melting atv 86 C is obtained. The yield is equivalent to approximately 90% of theory based on the di-isobutylene and is practically quantitative based on the phenol consumed.

In lieu of di-isobutylene one may employ homologues of di-isobutylene having tertiary olefinic linkage. Di-isobutylene is made by condensing two mols of isobutylene. Tri-isobutylene, which may likewise be employed is made by condensing three mols of isobutylene.

Example 9.Substitute a mol equivalent of tri-isobutylene for the di-isobutylene provided in Example 8 and otherwise proceed as described in said Example 8.

Example 10.-Substitute 88 grams of tetramethyl ethylene CH3 CH3 CH3 gen halide in the form of the corresponding alkyl halide. Thus, in lieu of gaseous hydrogen halide, one may add, either during the initial stages of the reaction or preferably progressively during the course of the reaction, a small amount of the v tertiary alkyl chloride corresponding to the olefine and which may be obtained by reacting the olefine with concentrated hydrochloric acid as previously described in connection with Example 3.

Ea'ample 12.-165 grams of resorcinol are dissolved in a suilicient quantity'of a mixture of ethyl and isopropyl ethers, the ethers being present in approximately equal parts by weight, to form a true solution at about C. The resulting solution is agitated at 70 C.-'l5. C. and treated with a mixture of 50 grams of di-isobuty'lene and 5 grams of di-isobutyl chloride. The reaction is permitted to.prooeed for 10-14 hours, after which the reactedmixture is treated with suflicient water and benzol to dissolve resorcinol and di-isobutyl resorcinol, respectively. The aqueous resorcinol layer is drawn oil and the benzene layer extracted three times with water to insure complete removal of the unreacted resorcinol. If desired, the resulting combined aqueous fractions may be extracted with benzol to remove any alkyl resorcinols which may be contained therein. 78.5 grams of an oil boiling at 195 C.-202 C. at 1'7 mm., which solidifies upon cooling, is obtained. By crystallization one obtains a product which melts at C. This melting point, which is 8 higher than that re.-. ported in the literature, indicates that the product represented by the lower melting point was not very pure. The octyl resorcinol on chlorination has a very high phenol coemcient on Staphylococcus aureus.

, Examples 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 are representative embodiments of my invention based on my discovery that oleflnes having a tertiary oleflnlc linkage. combine directlyin good yields and without by-product formation to form the corresponding alkyl phenol.

My investigation has further disclosed that the di or poly iso-alkyl olefines such, for example, as dl-isobutylene or their hydrogen halide addition products, react at high temperatures with phenol to form, not the corresponding di or poly alkyl phenol'as might be expected, but the correspond ing mono tertiary alkyl phenol such as tertiary butyl phenol.

Some of these di and poly iso-alkyl olefines are obtained conveniently by condensing oleflnes, such as isobutylene, to form poly iso-alkyl olefines such as di-isobutylene, tri-isobutylene, etc. These materials and their corresponding alkyl halides react at elevated temperatures partly as the depolymerized alkyl halide which apparently combines with the phenol to form the corresponding alkyl phenol.

Di-isobutyl chloride, the preparation of which has been described heretofore (see Example 3), is added slowly to the phenol which is maintained at the boiling temperature. isobutyl phenol, considerable tertiary butyl .phenol is formed.

1500 grams ofphenol are agitated while maintaining a temperature of 'C.-165 C. while addingdropwise 374 grams of di-isobutyl chloride.

The reaction is permitted to proceed over a period of 4-8 hours. Upon fractionation one obtains first the unreacted phenol, followed by 375 grams of a fraction boiling at approximately 118 C. at 18 mm. which has a crystallizing point of 97 C. Upon crystallization frompetroleum ether the product will be found to melt at 99 C. and is otherwise the same as that obtained when tertiary butyl chloride is caused to react with phenol. Thefraction boiling at approximately 160 C.-l63 C. at 18 mm. and amounting to 208 grams consists principally of cli-isobutyl (octyl) phenol.

I have also found that instead of reacting an oleflne having a tertiary olefinic linkagawith phenol in the presence of a trace of hydrogen halide or an acid reaction salt, such as zinc chloride, one may employ an alkyl halide which, upon splitting HCl, forms a tertiary oleflnic linkage. For this purpose the. halogen may be joined to the tertiary carbon atom or to the carbon atom immediately adjacent thereto and forming a part of the tertiary linkage. In the latter case the halogen may be joined to a primary or secondary carbon.

An example of a compound in which the halo-' gen is joined to a primary carbon is ethyl hexyl chloride having the configuration:

ouacmcm'cmcncmci (CH3) 2CHCHC1CH:

Here, it is to be noted that the secondary carbon atom to which the halogen is joined is connected directly to a tertiary combination.

Primary, as well as secondary, alkyl halides and particularly those wherein the carbon atont' to which the halogen is linked to a tertiary carbon atom, react directly with phenols to form the corresponding alkyl phenols.

Example 1 3.Qctyl chlorides having the 101 In addition to dilowing configuration may be made conveniently at about 15 mm. and which probably has the fol- .by adding slowly 611 grams of ethylhexyl alcohol omomonzcmcnomon to 670 grams of thionyl chloride while maintaining a temperature of approximately 70 C. After all of the thionyl chloride has been added, the temperature is raised to 120 C. and maintained for several hours. The reaction product is cooled and treated with water and the water layer drawn off. The non-aqueous fraction is washed and fractionated whereby one obtains 627 grams of the chloride. which boils at 52 C. at 10 mm. In general, primary alkyl chlorides, of which the foregoing is an example, and to a less extentsecondary alkyl chlorides, are more stable than tertiary chlorides, although the formation of their corresponding alkyl phenol is possible by operating at a somewhat higher tem perature. For instance, the above octyl chloride does not react with a parachlorphenol with any speed below 100C.

Example 14.-520 grams of parachlorphenol and 250 grams of octyl chloride, made as described in Example 13, are heated at 160 C.- 170 C. for nearly 40 hours or until evolution of hydrogen chloride subsides. The resulting product is fractionated carefully at first under partial vacuum to remove the parachlor'phenol, and later at the highest degree of vacuum conveniently obtainable. The fraction distilling above the parachlorphenol range is refractionated and one thus obtains about 130 grams of an octyl parachlorphenol distilling at about 165 C. at 14 mm. This product has an inordinately high phenol coeflicient on Staphylococcusaureus of over 2000;

During the reaction a part of the octyl chloride is decomposed intohydr'ogen chloride and octylene. This hydrocarbon is collected and when fractionated will be found to boil at 119 C.- 122 C. The amount thus recovered is approximately '74 grams. It probably has the following structural configuration:

cmcnzomcme=cnz v CzH 5 or an isomeric form thereof.

Example 15.Under some conditions, as when .a primary or secondary alkyl halide is caused to react in accordance with the principles of my invention, one obtains incomplete conversion of the halide to the alkyl phenol. A portion of the alkyl halide splits to form hydrogen halide and olefine. I have found, however, that this olefine may be recovered and combined with a hydrogen halide to form the corresponding alkyl halide and that the resulting alkyl halide may be combined with a phenol, as in the case of other alkyl halides, to form an alkyl phenol, but in this case it will be found that the alkyl halide is more reactive, that is, it combines wtih the phenolat a much lower temperature than the original alkyl halide from which the olefine was formed. This difference in reactivity appears to be attributable to a rearrangement, the precise nature of which lowing structural configuration:

omomcnzomoolona Example 16.-300 grams of phenol and 65 grams of tertiary octyl chloride, made as described in Example 15, are heated at C. under reflux conditions. Hydrogen chloride is evolved for about 5 hours, after heating for a short time longer the material is separated into its constituents by fractionation. In addition to unreacted phenol one obtains 82 grams of an octyl phenol which boils at 151 C.-152 C. at 10-12 mm. The yield, on phenol is practically theoretical, on octyl chloride is 91%.

Example 17.-Octyl parachlorphenol may be made from parachlorphenol and the alkyl chloride of Example 13 at temperatures below CI The reaction may be facilitated by adding a small amount of an anhydrous metallic salt, which, due to hydrolysis, gives an acid reaction when dissolved in water, particularly aluminum chloride, zinc chloride and the like. Thus, 151 grams of parachlorphenoi and 70 grams of the octyl chloride of Example 13 are mixed at about 40 C. after which 10 grams of aluminum chloride are added. Hydrogen chloride is evolved. The mixture is agitated at 90 C. for about 48 hours before washing with water and dilute muriatic acid. The washed oily product is fractionated at 10-12 mm. and the fraction boiling at 165 C.- 1'70 C. and amounting to 50 grams is collected. It consists essentially of octyl parachlorphenol.

Example 18.-200 grams of resorcinol and 150 cc. of ethylene dichloride are heated with agitation to 90 C. 50 cc. of isopropyl ether are then added to effect complete solution. Subsequently 60 grams of octyl chloride, such as is obtained in Example 15, are added and the reaction is allowed to proceed while maintaining the temperature at approximately 90 C. for 20 hours. The reaction mixture is then fractionated. The resorcinol distilled at 152 C.-'-155 C. at 12 mm. followed by the octyl resorcinol which boils at approximately 192 C. at 12 mm. The fraction boiling between 188 C.-193 C. is refractionated and then crystallized from petroleum ether, the crystalline material melting at 895 C.

Example 19.262 grams of phenol and 50 grams of cyclohexyl chloride are heated under reflux at C.- C. for 12-14 hours. siderable cyclohexyl chloride decomposes simultaneously to cyclohexene and HCl which can be isolated during the reaction. The reacted mixture is fractionated and a cut boiling at 148 C. at 14 mm. is isolated and crystallized from benzene and petroleum ether. The product, para cyclohexyl phenol, melts at 130 C. In like manner other cyclohexyl phenols or methylcyclohexyl phenols may be formed.

Under some conditions it is advantageous to convert a tertiary alcohol into its. chloride by simply agitating, with fuming muriatic acid. This is particularly true when the olefine is relatively volatile. On the other hand, under other conditions' it is preferable to form the olefine by any of the well known methods, and convert the olefine into the chloride, or, alternatively, combine the olefine directly with the phenol in the presence of hydrogen chloride or the like as described heretofore. One method of obtaining oleflnes in relatively pure form is to pass the alcohol over a dehydrating catalyst, such as aluminum oxide and the like. Thus, for example, octylene may be Conobtained by passing beta-ethylhexyl alcohol over A120: whereupon water is split from the alcohol and the oleflne is formed. The resulting oleilne is .then combined with hydrogen chloride in the form of fuming muriatic acid as previously described.

Example 20.250 grams of parachlorphenol and 60 grams of octyl chloride, formed as described in the preceding paragraph, are heated under reflux for 24 hours at 135 C. Upon .fractionation there is obtained 5lgrams of octyl parachlorphenol, boiling at approximately 170 C. at 12 mm.

In the foregoing examples I have described representative embodiments of the principles 'of my invention. It is to be understood that other alkyl phenols may be made in like manner by appropriate use of the desired phenol and alkyl method of producing the oleflne or the alkyl chloride is not limitative of their use in practicing my invention. One convenient source of oleflnes is that present in cracked petroleum hydrocarbons. It is readily possible to obtain comparatively narrow cuts of unsweetened cracked distillates which are rich in oleflnes that are suitthe oleflnes thus obtained consist of a mixture of several members of a homologous series and in most instances several isomeric forms of each homologue, for most pm'poses the fact that a mixture is produced is immaterial. The alkyl able for use in practicing my invention. Although phenols which are utilized in the manufacture of detergents, germicides, phenolaldehyde resins and the like, may, without disadvantage and in some instances with advantage, consist of a mixture.

,Obviously, if desired, the oleflnes may be conincluding sulphonic acids, ethers and the like. It

verted into the hydrochlorides and the resulting hydrochlorides caused to react with the phenol. Inasmuch as hydrogen chloride is formed when the alkyl chloride and phenol react, no loss results. Similarly, by following the foregoi procedure one can separate to some extent the alkyl chlorides from the saturated present in the cracked distillate. However, it is to be noted that the presence of saturated hydrocarbons in the cut of cracked distillate may be tolerated even when the oleflne is caused to combine directly with the phenol in the presence of hydrogen chloride.

' Under some conditions of cracking a large quantity of 'di-oleflnes forms. These may, if desired, be first separated by any well known means as by polymerization, resiniflcation, or advantageously by causing the cracked distillate fraction to react with maleic anhydride. In this way the dioleilnes are removed practically quantitatively without affecting the oleiine and. saturated.

hydrocarbon content. The halogenated derivatives have high phenol coeihcients and are valuable germicides and disinfectants. The higher alkylated phenols, such as those obtained with tertiary amyl, octyl, decyl, duodecyl and higher chlorides form valuable wetting agents when monosulphonated and neutralized to form the sodium or other metallic salts. The method of sulphonatioo and neutralization is well understood by those skilled in this art.

From the foregoing description of my invention it will be evident to those skilled in the art'thatI have provided a method of producing-alkyl phenols, which are free from aromatic byproducts,

will likewise be apparent that the invention enables one to obtain an alkyl phenol directly from an olefine having a tertiary oleflnic linkage. In general, the reaction proceeds without catalysts such as have been employed heretofore, and while I claim as one feature of my invention the improvement in the manufacture of alkyl phenols 1 .The method of alkylating phenols charactera iz ediin hat an alkyl chloride is first converted into substituents. It is to be understood that the sequently, is admixed and reacted with a phenol whereupon hydrogen chloride and the alkyl phenol are formed. 2. The method of alkvlating phenols characterized in that an alkyl halide in which the halogen is joined to a member of the group consisting of a primary and secondary carbon atom, which carbon atom is linked directly to a tertiary carbon atom, is caused to react with phenol as such in th absence of a catalyst.

' 3. The method of alkylating phenols characterized in that an alkyl halide in which the halogen is joined to one of the group consisting of the following: a primary carbon atom and a secondary carbon atom, which carbon atom is linked directly to a tertiary carbon atom, is first converted to an oleflne, after which the oleflne is combined with a hydrogen halide to form an alkyl halide and which is heated in the absence of 40 catalystswith a phenol as such to reaction temperature whereby hydrogen halide and the alkyl phenol are formed.

4. The method of nuclear alkylation of phenols characterized in that the phenol as such is caused 45 to react in the absence of catalysts and under conditions whereby hydrogen chloride is formed with an .alkyl halide which results from the addition of an oleflne having a tertiary oleflnic linkage and a hydrogen halide.

5. The method of nuclear alkylation of phenols characterized in that the phenol as such is caused to react in the absence of catalysts and under conditions whereby hydrogen chloride is formed with an alkyl halide which, upon splitting hydrogen halide, forms an oleflne having a tertiary oleflnic linkage, said oleflne being capable of combining with hydrogen chloride to form a tertiary alkyl chloride.

.6. The method as deflned in claim 4 and fur-' ther characterized in that the alkyl halide is dlisobutyl chloride. r

7. The method as defined in claim 4'and further characterized in that the halide is tertiary characterized in that diisobutyl chloride is caused to react with phenol as such at an elevated temperature and in the absence of catalysts.

- LUCAS P. KYRIDES. 

